


Black Butterfly and Devils Blue-Eyes

by Zerosubtance



Category: Lovecraft Country (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:20:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 18,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27244105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zerosubtance/pseuds/Zerosubtance
Summary: When Ruby get's the chance of a lifetime to change her life working under Tic's strange yet introvert distant cousin Christina, she gets more than she bargained for. As Christina a well known lawyer struggles to free herself from her fathers abusive shadow after the death of her brother William and her elder brother Caleb; she seeks to gain control over the lodge her father has denied her as his only heir. Yet first Christina must clear her father and lodge members names a task that seems all to impossible under the watchful eye of her fathers righthand-man; yet such a task is proving itself to be difficult as she is taken by her new P.A. As Ruby finds out how to read the strange yet alluring Christina, a waiting William comes to make her dreams come true yet are all dreams true; yet she is sucked into into a world of wizards and dangerous turns. Can love come at such a time, or will the half-truths threaten to rip the two apart?
Relationships: Atticus "Tic" Freeman/Letitia "Leti" Lewis, Montrose Freeman/Sammy, Ruby Baptiste/Christina Braithwhite, Ruby Baptiste/Christina Braithwhite/William
Comments: 54
Kudos: 123





	1. The Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> So, everyone this is my first time writing for a live series and personally, I was ticked off as a black and lesbian woman at the ending of Lovecraft Country. Now I have read the book and seen the show, but I’m not going to be using too many book references in this story as only Caleb will be used. 
> 
> However, despite the horrid ending, I fell in love with Christina and Ruby. I was so happy with the fact that I got to see a thick black woman and a white woman so taken by love and chemistry, I was hoping that I would get a better ending for the series. Yet once again the show-runners decide on the lazy way out and lean on the bury your gays trope. I wasn’t too pleased with Ruby and Christina’s death as communication was needed and Leti and Tics gang were nothing but a bunch of dependent assholes. 
> 
> That is why I wanted to make my own story, yet fair warning I will be talking about some racial situations, colorism, sexism, mental illness, and there will be some slight body changes and magical complexities, because let’s face it between the Mark of Cain and the Invincibility Spell the magic system is just lazy. Just as well I don’t know anything about Chicago except from Watchdogs the video game, so I might be making some new names up as I go along. So, you’ve been warned.

“Why would you take a job like that Ruby? Why don’t you just go back to school?” The sound of the train from over the Southside rails lingered on with a quick pace, as the announcer hovered above head. With a cup of iced-coffee in her hand the rattling of the tracks that seemed to go nowhere and everywhere, shook her ice slightly. With a light stroll, the two women walked on as the summer heat of Chicago buzzed-on even under the shade of the tracks.

A long sigh drew from Ruby Baptiste full thick red-lips, “Come on now Leti; let’s not start this mess again. I told you I’m not going back to school I got bigger fish to fry right now; also, what’s wrong with the job it’s just an interview for a P.A. position. I can’t be another black woman stuck here on the Southside. Besides not everyone could have a comfy life moving from military base to military base.”

A look of bewilderment passed on Leti’s features as the comment sprung forth like a knife; it had been two years since their mother’s death, and a year since Leti and her husband Tic came back with her nephew George. In a lot of ways, the silence had become a wheel for the two sisters as something would always turn the next subject over, it had mostly been Atticus or George with something funny or goofy to show them. Leti was a dreamer, as it had been something she wasn’t; it had been a part of their mother that not even her half-sister could deny. Ruby knew the comment had come from a dark place, as nothing had been an interruption to Leti; yet everything had been an interruption to Ruby from housing, to money, to family, everything had been a grab at what little time she had left on this earth. Hearing a zoom of loud music pass by the heat of passing wind had spent the last of Ruby’s energy to finish her argument.

“Look. I’m not saying anything against you bettering yourself; I just thought you’d want to spend more time with us and George, I mean you’re the only aunt my side of the family.”

“Well you do have a point. Outside of Montrose and whatever craziness that’s outside of Tic’s family, my nephew has a bunch of craziness ahead of him in terms of family. That last reunion last month was nothing short of a disaster,” Ruby whispered on as she knew Tic and Leti led her into one of Tic’s distant relatives.

“What? I thought it would be nice for you to meet Tree he seemed nice and all,” Leti complained.

“As nice as going to the dentist for a root-canal, between the dick jokes and the annoying exposition dump of his life that I clearly did not volunteer to hear. Tree is about as dull as dishwater and as dumb as bricks too.”

“Your too closed-minded about love Ruby, sure Tree wasn’t the best of the bunch but since momma’s death you’ve been distant and not yourself. I know working at that diner is killing you and I know you sacrificed everything to take care of momma while I was away; I just figured you could use a bit of family healing.”

As they walked to their car Leti hurried to the driver’s side only to be interrupted by Ruby, “No. No. Mrs. Freeman you’re not going to mess up my car with your dare-devil mess this evening. I still got three more years of a car-note on this thing and every mile to the gallon counts.”

“Fine no need to get stingy about it.” Getting into her blue Hyundai the two drove off to the outskirts of the Northside, as the passing lights of traffic rang in the air did nothing to sooth the heat that sat under her dark-skin. She looked over to her sister who’d been texting away, and with a small smile on her lips she noticed the peace that lingered there; she’d been everything her sister wasn’t. They had been like night and day, and while Leti dreamed in the stars she stayed grounded. Ruby had been older, but she knew the world and how it worked; Leti had been lighter than Ruby in looks and weight, as her sister’s life and dreams seemed to align with everything she dreamed of. Being a top-tier photographer for Time Magazine and other reputable News Sources her camera took her outside Southside, yet Ruby only felt her sister’s talent got her so far.

_Nothing for a dark-skin-overweight Southside girl like me. I gotta make my own way…I guess._

With another chime of alerts coming from the passenger’s seat, she watched as Leti shot another selfie, before going back to edit the photo. Rolling her eyes Ruby spoke up, “Sending something for Tic to be ready for when he gets home?”

“Actually, no its for someone else,” Leti spoke out in a matter of fact tone.

“I thought you were supposed to be shooting people and places for the Southside Gazette,” Ruby asked mentioning her sisters’ latest project.

“Yeah but this is for something else.”

“And may I ask what this something else is. I know your hard-headed when you need to be but not foolish enough to be posting to another man?”

“For your information miss-in-everybody’s-business it’s family well…it’s for Tics family. You would’ve known that if you would’ve taken my offer to come stay with us, we’ve got plenty of room.”

Ruby’s brows furrowed for a moment as she reached the light, “Really? More of them? I thought that small batch of craziness at the reunion was the end of it. God knows it was hard enough trying to get Tics Great-Grandmother to stay on topic, woman kept going on and on about magic. You know she still uses landlines?”

“Leave that old woman alone Ruby, you know Hatte don’t mean no harm,” Leti swapped off with a flick of her hand.

“Well let’s just hope you’re not setting me up with anything else,” Ruby spoke out as she merged onto the freeway.

“If you must know **she** is moving down here from Boston to help her father, she got in contact with Tic’s mother about the reunion. According to Tic’s grandmother Martha she is Tic’s cousin. She is a bit on the slow side to how we do things, but she’s got a good heart. You know she’s one of those inter things you keep talking about.”

“Introverts?”

“Yeah something like that. Tic says the girl is smart and I heard she could be a firecracker when she wants to or at least that is what I’m told. Tic talks about her all the time, Dora says she and Tic spent every Summer together when they were growing up, and we would see her when we were in Boston. She played with George all the time, if you can believe it our son had to teach her how to play hide-and-go-seek.”

“Was she at the reunion?”

“She wasn’t able to make it, but if Christina were there you wouldn’t miss her trust me. That is just the thing with Tic, you don’t know how many more cousins or events will pop outta the woodwork with him. That man of mine is a mystery sometimes, kinda like Black Butterflies and Devils Blue Eyes. Whatever happened to that song Ruby? I loved it.”

Tightening her grip on the wheel, the melody floated under Ruby’s knuckles as she longed for another strum of her guitar. After her mother’s funeral the cost of everything took whatever hope she had of playing; that and her pride would not ask Leti and Tic for the money back. Biting the inside of her jaw she couldn’t tell Leti about what happened to Delilah and the five-hundred dollars she got for it. Instead she went for a simple answer, “Life happened Leti that and momma.”

“Well once life is done with you I wanna see you and Delilah back at Sammy’s again, you got the best voice this side of Chicago. Just as well you tore the roof down when you preformed at Montrose and Sammy’s…thing,” Leti spoke out uncomfortable with the word.

“You mean their wedding,” Ruby corrected her voice tight.

“Yeah that.”

Trying a lighter tone Ruby came in, “You know we aren’t in 1956 Leti, saying the word gay-marriage isn’t going to send you to hell.”

“I know that I just don’t get why they had to do it in church. I done shot a lot of horrors in the world, to come home to find more it’s just awkward ok. Just as well there’s Tics` mom, how do you think she feels?”

“It’s not a horror if their happy, Leti. I think Dora knew that as well.” Ruby saw the light quiver of her younger sisters lower-lip, and with it they didn’t speak anymore. It had been one of the few rules black families never spoke about, and the one rule they never fought over outside their mother. It had been the line in the sand that they drew nearly ten-years ago before George was born.

“Look Leti I kn-”

“Ruby look out!”

Breaking as the shine of silver slipped in front of them, the long car weaved in and out from lane to lane like ocean waves. Like lightening the vehicle cut through other cars never once losing speed, Ruby kept her pace with traffic as she had been relieved that the drivers un-signaled merge had missed her by inches. Hearing a loud roar of life in the distance hot air left a traveling trail rattling her own car-windows. Staring ahead Ruby watched the silver bullet of a car slow down like other cars in front of them.

“A-Are you all right Leti?”

“Y-Yeah you.”

“I’m fine. Let us get off this road, I swear I really don’t want to be roadkill today,” Ruby sighed as she exited the freeway. Peeking from the last of her vision as she entered the turning ramp as traffic slowed down bringing cars closer and closer together, from the last look of her eye she spotted the sheen of silver from a 1959 Rolls-Royce Drophead Coupe. _Serves that asshole right._

***

Strutting into the building in the middle of Downtown Chicago; her gray slacks and cream blouse bounced lightly in the air as on-lookers caught a glimpse of her. Staring at the receptionist desk in gold letters resting high on a wall of white marble, she looked to the lettering on the wall as the logo of Samuel and Sons mocked her view twisting her gut. She hated their appointments so much so that the move from Boston to Chicago had been for her own benefit never his; yet she knew when he came, as the stark reality of family had seemed like an obligation rather than good will or charity. She knew he needed her; he would’ve never had his P.A. call if he didn’t. Samuel Braithwhite had always been that way for as long as she could remember, as she felt more like his rescuer rather than he hers. It was another cruel reminder from father to daughter and another blow to her soul as he looked down on her simply for existing; their relationship over a known time had consisted of transactions and disgust. Walking in she noticed a dark-haired woman with eyes as blue as her own, it didn’t take her long to stare up from her work.

“May I help you miss?”

“Yes, Hillary you can. I’m Christina Braithwhite I’m here for my appointment to see my father Samuel Braithwhite,” she slid out as she made sure her response passed.

The receptionist eyes brightened up at the news her voice a low-pitched surprise, “Oh excuse me Ms. Braithwhite, I didn’t know Mr. Braithwhite had a daughter. Let me just call and make sure he’s in.” The comment didn’t bother her as she had over twenty years to numb herself to the public insult. Dialing there was a short moment as Hillary only responded with a quick yes, before hanging up.

“You can go on up, he is expecting you.” Getting on the elevator the clear glass-windows had shown the fullness of the morning sun within the city, and as skyscrapers loomed over her rising form they stood like rooted giants. It had always been appointments from the time she had been old enough to walk and talk. And even when there had been moments outside of appointed times none of them had ever been good, as he took the time with his lodge-friends to belittle her and her achievements at every cost. Yet a smile lingered on her face, she didn’t care if he needed her and she didn’t care if no one had known of her; today was the day that fate was in her corner.

It had been the scandal of a life-time as her father’s former mistress and secretary accused him of sexual-harassment and assault; as well as there had been others within his group known for the same crimes. For as long as she could remember it had been a statement for her father’s friends on the board to slide a hand where it didn’t belong, yet she knew her father was above such means of inconsistent pleasures. Yet she had been no stranger to his mental abuse, racism, and sexism, a key component she was sure her father’s accusers and she had in common. As the doors slid open, she noticed the glass-room as the other board-members had been there to fill their pockets with the success she created.

Five years ago, Samuel and Son’s had been on the brink of bankruptcy, a fitting end to a heritage of hate that insured the mass-incarceration and murder of people of color. Christina had all been ready to celebrate such a downfall the day she heard the news, that was until William showed up at her door that night. He’d been her weak spot as she knew her father sent him to beg her on his behalf; and the shame of her knew it only took thirty minutes that night, as the next day she pulled everything she had to save what little she could of Samuel and Son’s. She stared at them as there had been a burning pit in her belly at the men in the room, they all had been members within her father’s glass-cage. They were free to break the glass-ceiling they themselves created; yet what may have been glass to them had been bars for her, as her iron-casted-cage had been made of disappointments and mockery.

Walking in, it had started. She heard the whispers as old eyes stared at her with confusion, disgust, and bewilderment. Within moments she heard the open insult come to her ears.

“What is that **cunt** doing here?”

She knew the voice had come from Seamus Lancaster one of her father’s important associates, a small smile came to her as she wore the insult like armor. She knew what they thought of her these racist-small-limped- dick-men, her face had shown its numbness yet on the inside she was screaming. It all made her think of ways of how she wanted to crush their skulls. A part of her wanted it so bad her mouth watered at the thought of it. She watched as her father spoke out as she waited in the corner with notebook in hand as she wrote on; her mind drifting away to nothing and everything.

“Well gentlemen perhaps we my finish this meeting another time. If you will excuse me.” She had heard the reservation in her father’s voice; it had been as gentlemanly as possible to the men he called brothers, but she heard the anger and disgust under it. She saw their eyes on her as they burned holes into her as they adjourned, she knew that she was the woman that they’d all known; as she’d been the embodiment of the countless women that had been too smart, confident, and wise for them. As the glass silently closed with Seamus waiting outside; the air grew stiff and almost unfeeling as time ticked on. Biting the inside of her jaw Christina knew not to speak first, it had been one of the many lessons that earned her father’s cold wrath.

“Your late and why are you in that form?” The tone had been as firm and cold as steel, she knew the statement had been nothing to stay silent to. Samuel Braithwhite had never seen her as a woman nor girl, as he only called it a form or a shade like something to be disposed of. It had been a while since she’d seen him from her own eyes. William and her pain had been the cost of civility that came from his mouth whenever he spoke to her; but Christina knew her father’s pride wasn’t for her but for what was lost.

“I was in traffic and I didn’t have enough time to change.”

“Caleb and William were never this sloppy,” Samuel firmly spoke up. A sigh came to his lips and that had been nothing good. Samuel Braithwhite had never been one for explosive anger, too much of that he left for his dog Seamus.

Taking off his glasses he pinched the bridge of his nose continuing, “The flesh may change, but the shadow of mediocrity is still there. Perhaps, it is the weak part of me that I failed to cut out that cannot blame you for being born as you are. A weak-link cannot form a chain. Next time if I see that form again, I will severely remind you of my expectations. Do you understand?” She saw a power there, a corrupting influence that stunk of hubris and evil. They were the only two who knew the Language of Adam along with her cousin Atticus, and while the leeches that slithered from the meeting room drunk upon her father’s word; Christina knew his success had been built on the horrors of magic. It was the untold truth behind the Braithwhite success, and the untold horror of her life; so much so that she was forced to take the glamour and flesh as her brother William. It had been five years since his death, and twenty-years since her eldest brother Caleb’s death, there had been nothing to give as tears would do her no good.

As her eyes looked up blue and lingering; she would not show fear that much she wouldn’t give him even in her obedience. However, silently she cursed herself for feeling so small at the thought of his threat shaking her.

“Yes father.”

“Now that we have that matter out of the way; I’m sure you know about the current scandal from those undesirables, who stake their false accusations on this law firm. Several members of the lodge want you to…convince them to drop their case against Samuel and Sons,” Samuel spoke out slipping on his glasses.

“You mean Concilium? You know that is going to need a bit of intent, body, soul, and alignment…especially if you want to erase the minds of that many women.”

“Can it be done,” Samuel gave a cold snap.

“I thought **you** would know since the Invulnerability Spell is of your own creation,” she snidely snapped back.

“Don’t get fresh with me.”

“I’m not, but if you want to know if it can be done on a massive scale it can, but on one condition.” A small laugh came to his mouth, Samuel Braithwhite knew what she wanted it had been the only thing she wanted a goal sweeter than his stark groveling; and when she saw the glimmer of the Rings of Order she wanted a piece of their paradise. A piece she knew he wouldn’t give so easily.

“I don’t think you’re in the position to negotiate anything; but I know you want access to the lodge as my heir.” She didn’t say anything as it had been all that she wanted and knew. It had been a symbol of her mark of mastery, as she knew most of the men under her father had spent their whole lifetimes to master one spell. Her father’s claim to fame in their order had been Invulnerability, and for her brother William it had been Metamorphosis, and while she had known little of Caleb that piece of pride had been reserved for her father.

She knew magic had been the face of horror as most men in her father’s lodge had not been able to perform at the feat that she had; yet she’d been born in the wrong body, to him she was a shamble of a woman. _To him I’m just a little girl begging him to learn how to use magic._ Her eyes fixed themselves firmly on him, doubt couldn’t be her goal. She had him whether he liked it or not, the Order of the Ancient Dawn was hers. She was going to break the wheel and change the world and uproot the rot such men had sown. It would be the first of many firsts.

An arrogant smirk came to his face, one that dared to resemble her own. She watched her father gather his things from the head of the long-table as he spoke, “I can see to grant your request; but, Lancaster is going to stay behind to watch over your progress. You have a month to get my colleagues a result, Hillary will provide you with all the details. I don’t want to see you until the end of the month.”

Watching him leave, dread left the room as Seamus came to his father’s side slipping on his jacket, he’d been her father’s right-hand-man after Williams passing. As he walked by his glare burned into her as her cold eyes drew in a confident stare, all of it turned the man redder than he’d already been. She’d know the kind of pig he’d been as he’d been quick to test his hands under her skirt at a dinner party her father hosted, it had been a moment Lancaster would soon regret as her brother William had broken every bone in his hand, delaying his entry into the lodge under Williams council. That had been six years ago as her father had planned to soon pass his legacy to William; yet he was no longer here. That bitter thought made Christina sick as often she forgot such things while she was in her own flesh; no matter the skin they were apart of each other, their souls gripped on the edge of her mind to see which one she would forget.

A pit in her relaxed as her father cleared the building as her hands graced the table slightly, she looked over to the towers of buildings, that she now had been over. _I’m going to have it all, I swear to you William_ _after that they will pay._ A slight buzz came to her phone as a picture came with three dark-skinned-faces. They were posed within a goofy expression. A smirk wondered to her face but the muscles in her mouth could not turn upwards. She had always had an issue with affection and communication; something she knew Caleb and William had no issue with. William had always been the life of the party, and he was always the ice-breaker with a soft soul. He had been the best of what they had as kids and the worst within herself, as the jealous pit in her stomach soured to the last night when they heatedly spoke.


	2. The Interview

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little family visit and a tension fueled interview gone wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well I’m back and this ship has got me sailing away. Thank you everyone for your support, I will promise to see this story to the end and I know it’s not a time piece as I wanted more of a fix-it kind of solution to the inconsistent magic that is on the show. I was talking to another fan-fic writer on here who was doing a Ruby x Christina fic and I asked myself if Tic and Chris were of the same blood why didn’t she use and collect her own blood for the ritual. It made no sense, but there will be smutty scenes coming soon but I really want to morph the story. Yet to everyone reading this I hope you check out my video on You Tube, Tic and Leti vs. Christina and Ruby, I touch on issues of toxic masculinity, communication, and reform and I will be posting more videos soon. Fair warning, I have no idea how to really write Willtina’s role so I’m just going stick to best perspective I know. Now on to the story.

A loud groan of pain erupted in the large bedroom, as the sound of screams-built bone and gathered flesh, hair, fluid, and testosterone came to the forefront of screams. A howling pain matched with the loud sounds of Black Metal Music that played in the background. It was the loudest thing she could find as it sung of devils and fallen angels as the shrieking guitar and vocals drowned out her pain; there had been no need to alarm the neighbors that much Christina knew. A pull of bone lengthened, and yet she thought to the necessary evil such pain was needed for. Her brothers claim to fame had been Metamorphosis, yet every ripple had begun with a pebble being cast into a lake of infinite wisdom. She had been the first to throw such a pebble, her earlier work ten years ago had gone into the research of Glamour and from that it gave her brother his start. Trapped by books and theory while other girls and boys went to prom and football games, she had been homeschooled stuck with the transactional value of magic. All her life she had been stuck with the unnecessary violence of silence. Yet theory and unsupervised practice could only hold for so long, that was until she found herself at her brothers’ door all those years ago. The transactional value of magic had been different for her than her father; she wanted to feel magic for the first time, but she only felt pain unmaking her. That in turn caused William to pick-up on her theory, and it would be five years later that her brother would acquire the next step from her theory. As her brother had evolved the Glamour technique under the teaching of the disgraced professor Hiram Epstein, he crowned the spell Metamorphosis.

Yet all magic had not been perfect, as souls bled through. Another scream had been louder as her insides had been repressed into nothing, and as her lips of her sex dropped and her clit grew and formed flesh the music picked up its tempo. It had been the right measure of pain and pleasure as it came at a cost, true magic had been untethered and uncontrolled even as her breast at flattened and her ribs expanded. Just as keen as her incoming rough chin, magic had been a sharp bolt within her. The potion had been a flip of a coin, most days it had been easy to take the form of William as it had been simple as turning on a light-switch. However, there were days like today things had been slow and calculated; her own blood alerted her as she knew her shift of intent had changed. _W-Williams blood its…rejecting me._

Her body fully formed as she rose to her feet with beads of sweat rolling down her thick-full- back. Weakly standing on her feet, she stumbled to the mirror in her room as the face she saw reflected his. _I’ve looked at this face so many times, how much can I be left with this pain._ These days it had been hard to tell if her pain had been her own; she had been caught between her rage and the face she saw in the mirror. _If I had been born into this body from the beginning…things would be different with him, wouldn’t they?_

Combing her short hair from her face, a blank stare sat on her handsome features as an array of emotions sat under her skin. It felt as if there had been two spirits of a person sleeping under her clawing to get out, so much so she could not call a single piece of herself her own. Walking to the dresser she went to his side slipping on a pair of boxers, combing back her short hair she took a deep breath as her vocal-cords reached out for a sound. It always took her awhile to get used to his voice again; taking the robe from behind her bedroom door, the doorbell had rang making her call out to turn the music off.

A heavy sigh drew from her lips, “I really can’t afford any distractions right now.” Walking down she found her alignment again as she walked with unmitigated freedom, as her pride pushed down all the pain she had gathered. In the skin of William, she had nothing to hide from as the world balanced itself on her fingertips; as William there was nothing she could want as women desired her and even men. Christina had no interest in men no matter what skin she wore; it made her nauseous that she’d had enough toxic masculinity to last a lifetime. Yet her allegiances set themselves on her true goal, and from it she knew their would never be any time for a sense of humanity; the innocence of the little girl in her had been left to the only ones she’d come to know and respect.

Coming down she noticed a shadow at her door, and she knew only one person knew the gate code. Unlocking the door to see the face of Atticus, a wide smile climbed on his lips. Tic had been the only one to truly know what happened to her, and Leti only knew so much. Aside from Tic and her close upbringing via. William, the second one who had known of her past next to Tic was Atticus Great Grandmother Hatte. The Braithwhite’s and the Freemans had a complicated start founded under the sickening guise of slavery and rape, a moment she could never forgive her father for taking pride in. She thought to little George Atticus son and she wondered what that pain her cousin could spare him about their ancestor’s past; and a part of her wanted to make everything right for cousin and his family.

“So, we are wearin’ this face again, lemme guess your dad,” a baritone voice called out as he saw past the potion, only he knew the reason why she wore the face she did.

“Cousin Atticus.” Sliding by she never called her cousin Tic like the rest did, the feeling of it seemed more reserved for the intimate members of his family, but William when he was alive had no issues with it.

A toss of his hand waved off her formal tone, “I told you its Tic, you got any beer?”

Sliding by to let him in a small bratty smirk enlisted on her face, “Help yourself.”

“What the hell were you playing when I pulled up here?”

“Black Metal, I needed the loudest thing so the neighbors wouldn’t hear. My…transformations haven’t been going as smoothly these days,” she spoke out her voice never wavering, she felt no need to lie to him nor anyone. Leti, Atticus wife had told her it had been a noble trait in her, but an idiotic one as she had been lawyer. She had never really spent time outside Hyde Park since her move and other than her offices in Boston and Chicago; she had never had any reason to explore Chicago as a whole. That was until she found out that Tic and his family lived just a few blocks down from her, Leti had told her about how things were different especially on the Southside of Chicago.

Knowing where the kitchen was, it had been more than one time either Leti with little George or Tic had been by with plates of food within the week that she’d been here. Most of what she knew had been to the extent of sandwiches or fast food, but Sunday dinner had come from either Dora or Hatte. Though the traumatic start of both their families the Freemans had been more of her family than her own father, and Atticus had been the warmth of a brother she missed. Emerging from the kitchen Tic stood within the doorway, the small creak of the wooden-floor roused the room. The house had been old as it stood on the Northside just three blocks away from Tic’s and Leti’s place. Pulling out a white envelope he set it down on the table, she knew what it was as it had been the down payment for the house Leti and Tic bought, something she didn’t need back.

“I’ll pay you back within my next two paychecks, right now we’re just trying to get everything situated with my mom, that and I wanted to give you some time to adjust.”

“I don’t want that,” she responded placing her hands into her pockets, a part of her had been lucky that she changed into William as her voice stood firm to her true belief. “Yeah Leti told me you would say something like that. Little George and Grandma Hatte keeps asking about you, Grandma Hatte wants to know if your going to go back to church with her in the next few weekends.”

“Atticus ther-”

“Now before you say no I get it…religion isn’t your thing. That’s why I told Grandma Hatte that the move of your firm from Boston to Chicago took a great deal out of you. She knows it’s only been a week since you got here.”

A tight smile stapled on her face showing Tic Christina’s annoyance past as he saw past William’s face. Her annoyance hadn’t been for the elder Freeman matriarch or her peers, but at the concept of god. She knew there had been no god as she saw nothing that night; and she knew her brother had not died as they were one now, no matter how painful the Transformations were. Despite Leti’s reservations about her honesty, there had been only one thing she lied about; she lied for her family as the Freemans had been the only family that welcomed William and her into their arms. She had learned that you lied for family, and it was from the lie that made you love them even more.

“Well as you’ve said I’m not a fan of it, but if Grandma Hatte wants me to be there then I’ll go,” William spoke out as Christina internally caught herself. A slow creeping smile came to his face and furrowing her brow she knew what was coming next, “That’s the first time you called her that.”

“It was a mistake. I’ll be there.” In surrender Tic raised his hands giving a small flavorful smirk. “Ok. You know… it’s getting harder these days to tell if that’s Chris in there or Will.”

“Want me to teach you the spell?”

“Too bloody for me, you always had a stomach for that,” Tic responded as he referenced to Christina.

“You have to stomach a lot when it comes to magic; then again, it was the only thing I had growing up, so I guess it just works out that way.”

“Not for me…I got enough magic with Leti and George to keep me busy, it’s been a while since I practiced well…since…” They didn’t dare say anything about that night yet the tears in Tic’s eyes watered a bit before he drank it down; a part of her couldn’t speak the words either even as she stood in his flesh, her adams apple bobbed along the lining of her throat. “So…those transformations…what’s going on with them? Maybe we can get Grandma Hatte to investigate, I know the Book of Names has something in it.”

“I-It’s nothing to concern yourself about, the pictures you sent were enough; my alignment is just off.”

“O-Ok. This doesn’t have anything to do with **them** does it? I’m not trying to get in your business but…you haven’t used William since you got here and I know it’s almost the anniversary of **their** passing,” Tic spoke out in a matter-of-fact tone.

She couldn’t lie to him magic and blood had bound them, and the underlining cause of discrimination cemented them. Her father had saw the power in the Freemans, yet their magic protected them from his ambition; a part of her enjoyed that her father couldn’t get to them, and while William protected the Freemans from his watchful gaze the task was left up to her. Samuel Braithwhite had always felt himself to be Adam within the Garden of Eden; and after his fame had been known with the Invulnerability Spell amongst his peers, he sought out ways to find paradise outside the reaches of human limitations. Becoming smitten with the Garden of Eden, he attempted to open the doors to such a place with her elder brother Caleb fifteen years ago. Taking a pack of cigarettes from the lining of her robe; she lit one, as the smoke relaxed the nerves and blood that sat within her.

Being the first to speak there had been no use in hiding what the media had known. “I’m sure you found out about the scandal about my father and his associates.”

“Yeah. So, what does that have to do with you.”

“He wants me to do Concilium on a massive scale. And, in exchange for that he is going to recognize me as his heir. I have a month to complete the spell.”

“Are you serious? What your dad needs to worry about is paying you back like I’m doing, you are the one who saved that company; you should have your birthright just like I have mine.”

“You know it doesn’t work that way for him Atticus.”

Shaking his head in disapproval, even now she knew Tic was thinking of a way to solve this mess. It was one of the many things they both had in common, “Something isn’t right about it unless wait…you’re trying to kill him…aren’t you.”

“If I said yes would you tell?”

“You damn well know I hate your father. Still…something of that massive scale is going to take a lot out of you even I know Titus Braithwhite’s Blood can only get you so far.”

“Yeah but if I can achieve it the realm of possibility would be open to me. My father would recognize me as his heir, and I would take over the lodge. Once I am recognized by the Order of the Ancient Dawn, I can get Lancaster back for killing…”

“Yeah, but what’s that going to cost you? We don’t even know if there is a chance that you might survive something like this, and if you do its going to do more harm to you or your body. I know I’m looking at William right now, but I know he wouldn’t want his little sister messing with things of this nature.”

“You know I can do it; I’ve perfected my father’s Invulnerability Spell, and I’ve evolved it with the Mark of Cain. Concilium is a larger ripple in the pond Atticus, if mind-control and hexes can be performed on smaller scales then Concilium can be done.”

“Yeah but you need to know the intent and guess what…some of the women haven’t come out yet. Also, the research and time you would need to preform it. Then there is your alignment to this.”

“And what are you saying?”

“I’m saying you know how your father and his friends treat women, and how he’s treated you,” Tic said as he lifted his hand before dropping it.

“That has nothing to do with me, the suffering of those women will be the silent consequence to what I’m trying to achieve. Now as for the spell if I narrow down everything to a matter of minutes, I can make my father’s deadline. I’ve worked on spells for weeks without sleep before and I’ve seen a lot of success.”

“You can’t fix this with magic. Your father is playing you to get what he wants; you know as well as I do, he’s always been like that.”

“I don’t need you to look out for me, I can handle it on my own,” she spoke out William’s voice sounding harsher than she intended. Swallowing the last of his beer, he set the empty bottle down on the table his lips sinking into his mouth bitterly. “I can’t talk to you when you’re like this, it’s like once you get started on something you won’t stop. No matter how hard momma or me will talk you out of it you don’t know when to quit Chris, you don’t have to let your father run your life you can settle down meet a girl start a family.”

“I have a family George, you and everyone else is family.”

“That’s not what I meant. Look…Leti’s sister is coming over for a small get together this Saturday, were hoping to celebrate her new job. Do you need me to send a plate over?”

“Tell Leti I would love to join everyone this Saturday.”

Christina knew that Atticus had hit her soft spot for family get togethers, as most of them she made when she was invited or not to busy. Atticus dropped the money on the table, as he spoke cutting her off, “I’ll see you Saturday until then take the money, and stop being so damn hardheaded.”

“I’m not taking that.”

“Well I’ll come back for it later. Look…I don’t care what body you wear, the both of you are still my cousins and we look out for our own. You hear me?” A small nod came to her head as Tic headed for the door before giving his last message, “Oh and stop listening to that Black whatever it’s called it’s rotting out your brain. Damn music almost bled my ear drums when I walked up here.”

“Sure thing.”

The door had closed as a sigh of air pushed from her chest; even now and many times before Tic had cautioned her like this and even Hatte as well, as she and her brother would come with broken bones and scars in an attempt to perfect her father’s spell whenever they visited them. Time and Time again Dora and Hatte would mend her and warn her, and each time she would try again; due to the Braithwhite name she knew it had been pointless to seek care from her cousins family. Even now if she wanted she could’ve flown in the best doctors and surgeons her payroll had to offer; but normality had been the first thing she tried after she set out into the world, as her modest house had suited her needs more than any penthouse back in Boston ever could.

Hearing her cellphone, she leaped upstairs answering the phone as she picked out her suit for the day. “Ms. Braithwhite, you have an interview here who says she has a twelve o’clock meeting with you. Shall I tell Ms. Baptiste to come back tomorrow.”

“There is no need to cancel Mrs. Davenport; I will be conducting the meeting in Ms. Braithwhite’s place. If you may so kindly let our guest know that I will be there as soon as possible.”

“Y-Yes Mr. Braithwhite I will get right on that.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Davenport.” Hanging up she could still hear the older woman’s voice as she smelled lust in it, an action she wouldn’t dare entertain due to her father’s recent troubles. Choosing a navy-blue three-piece suit with white shirt and ink blue tie; it had been her armor and power as it told her that she owned the world and all its glory. After loaning every single cent her law-firm had earned to her father’s own failing business, a part of her died as her firm had been nearly bankrupt as it had all been under a promise to induct her into the Order. Yet it would be a series of high-profile cases that would land into her lap over the course of five years, as they dragged her up from the mud as she took second place next to her father’s own firm. She had been the last of the Braithwhite children, and the one to lead Clarissa Braithwhite to her death at the start of her own life. It had been a sin her father would never forgive, and to her Clarissa Braithwhite’s death had been one of the many series of transactions that fate happily played upon.

She had never wanted to be a lawyer; it had always entailed the idealism of a lie or a truth; yet in the lies and truths she was on her own mountain, free to do away with her father’s dogma. Yet she was granted a different freedom in the skin of William; she didn’t know if it had been the testosterone or potion itself, yet she felt a surge of what anger he felt and the right to express it. As William she was stronger, faster, and comfortable to access the freedoms her father stripped away from her as a woman. However, potions had a tendency for evaporating like mist in a sunlit field; and she had to find other pockets of happiness when she wore her own body. Teaching had been a solace to her as it had been the one thing she had not been shy or awkward in; a part of her wanted to make a career of it back in Boston, but such comfort settled as her fathers demands hit close to home. He wanted a grandson, something she could not give so willingly to her father’s regime, and it would be the only thing she would never give him as William or herself. Regaining her valor, a cocky smirk painted itself on her features as she stared into the mirror; she knew in her brothers’ skin she could move in ways she’d never had dreamed of. _I will have what is mine William, and I will keep that promise to you and everyone hurt by them._

***

“Where the hell is this bitch,” Ruby mumbled as she sat within her chair. Waiting across the Secretary’s Desk, her steady brown eyes had dared to look up. Noticing the older woman focused on her task; Ruby silently whispered a prayer of thanks feeling relief that the older woman had not heard her. Ruby was scheduled to meet Christina Braithwhite the founder of Clarissa and Cunnington, under the new opening as her personal assistant. She had been to six interviews within the week as she had been perfecting her résumé for nearly three months. She knew Charlie her landlord gave her time after her mother’s funeral, but between Marvin’s anger and Leti and Tic’s irresponsibility they both left the clean-up to her. All of it in turn had left her three-months behind on her rent and her savings drained, as she lived from paycheck to paycheck. _There is no way I’m going to Leti or Marvin’s._

Her neck grew stiff from looking at her phone, as she craned it upwards staring at the square-lit-tiling of the ceiling. _Something feels off today._ Today had been different as she felt it in her blood; the element of the room shifted, normally she was always ready for an interview, but the day seemed to throw her ease to the wind. There had been something off about the day, and while she had waited for nearly two-hours a part of her wanted to leave due to the unprofessionalism. Ruby had been no stranger to the harm of discrimination; she knew what she looked like to the skinny well-trained eyes of secretaries as they had been the eyes of the whole operation, as many interviewers had dismissed her without even meeting her. She knew what it meant, to them she’d been too dark and too heavy, and for many employers that had meant she would be too much of a problem. It was always the same when they saw her dark-skin, they thought she’d been too out-spoken for the corporate world and too ghetto; but today she’d had enough of the interruptions as she wanted to give the interviewer a piece of her mind.

_Who schedules and interview only to be fucking late for it! I’m just going to give this bitch a piece of my mind, I know this job is as good as gone anyway._

She gave a look to the area as it had been in the heart of Chicago, as tall buildings had rose and fallen due to construction. Clarissa and Cunnington had been as modest and plain as any other building she interviewed in, but she knew with six failed interviews every building was starting to look the same. The elevator rang as a group of suited men and woman flooded out before heading into the long-tabled-meeting-room. All of them had been the best Defense Lawyers Northside of Chicago and a part of her wanted that, but her mother’s funeral set back her dreams of law school. The loud bell of the elevator clanged once again as she didn’t dare to look up from her phone, she’d seen nearly the whole building come in and one more seem not to bother her.

“Ms. Ruby Baptiste?”

Earth-eyes met sky-blue eyes as a tall and looming man stood in front of her. Standing in nearly at six-feet, he looked down at her as it took everything for Ruby to keep her mouth closed. His blonde hair had been slickly combed back fitting his keen-angled jaw and cheek bones; he wore a dark-blue-three-piece suit bringing out his eyes, and it made fear leap up in Ruby as he’d been what felt off about the day. _What in the Aryan-Brotherhood is going on here?_ As the piercing look of ice stared at her, the pair sapphires traveled down her face settling down to her full-open-chest-breast. Ruby felt her body heat at the sight of him and suddenly she gathered herself up to stand, meeting his open hand. “Yes, I am her.”

“I’m William Braithwhite, I will be filling in for Ms. Braithwhite.”

“Well it’s a good thing someone came and got me I thought you guys forgot about me,” Ruby commented with a laugh signaling her nervousness. With a tilt of a curved smile the Adonis of a man spoke his voice a calm wave of sensuality, as his eyes felt her with a hungry stare. “The fault is all mine Ms. Baptiste, we here at Clarissa and Cunnington never leave our partners or staff behind. Surely, I can accommodate for your loss of time if you wish me too,” William spoke out digging in his inner coat pocket.

“No, you don’t have to do that.” She watched the man give a curious lift of his brow as if he had never been declined. Breaking the tension Ruby was the first to speak, “Here’s my résumé.”

“I’ll take that,” as his rough callous hands lightly brushed hers. Reviewing the credentials, he looked hard at the paper she knew he was trying to find a less obvious way not to stare at her; the look of the man suddenly made Ruby think to her clit.

“Your résumé it looks good.”

“E-Excuse me?”

“I was speaking on your résumé,” William reiterated.

“Oh yes.” 

“If you will follow me please Ms. Baptiste.” On a slight turn of a heel the back of the tall figure had strutted as if the world had truly belonged to him as he read on and walked. And for a moment he walked as if he’d had the biggest cock in the world, and suddenly Ruby had been questioning if such a thing were true.

“The more I read of this Ms. Baptiste the more I’m impressed, eight languages, top marks in your Court-Stenography-Class, Second in your Law and Theory courses. I must say I have to wonder why you haven’t taken the Bar yet?” Heading down the hall the two stopped at clear glass walls to a large brightly lit office, holding the door open a small flutter of her heart came yet her head stopped her racing heart. _Get over yourself first he makes you wait and then he looks down your shirt. Just tell this white-boy off and leave._

“If you don’t mind.” The carpet had been a plush sea of blue, as the chairs across from the glass table had been made of modern metal. Heading around to his own desk he took off his suit jacket leaving him in a button down and vest, as she looked at the seam of his pants slowly her eyes trailed to the center to see a roused half-hardened member. Yet as he moved to the desk, he stared more at the résumé before setting the paper down, placing his arms over the desk knitting his hands.

“So far, I’ve had three hires drop out, as it seems my sister can be…difficult. So, tell me Ms. Baptiste what makes you qualified for Clarissa and Cunnington.”

“Well I am a team player, and I can accommoda-”

Ruby watched him lean back in his chair before holding out his hand to stop her, “If I may be blunt, you can spare me from the teamwork speech. Let me get down to the issue Ms. Baptiste, what I want to know is can you deal with the workload here.”

“Yes, I can handle it here,” Ruby shot back defiantly.

“The last three girls said that as well. Ms. Baptiste the work in this firm is fast pace and its more than just some lunch hour in a backwash diner on the Southside of Chicago,” William interrupted, making Ruby crane her neck back in annoyance her brows furrowing in anger. She wanted nothing more than to slap the bratty smirk off him.

An angered smile slipped on her face making her close her eyes, nodding to herself she laughed as her patience had been worn out, “Oh I see where this is going, you think that I’m just some poor-fat-black-girl with a lie and résumé in her hands.”

“Well Ms Bap-”

“I wasn’t done speaking,” Ruby snapped back as the white-man leaned forward into his chair his smirk never leaving his keen face as she continued, “Now if you must know I’m not like everyone else. The thing about you white-boys, is you think the world balances itself on your fingertips. I know you are a _WASP_ , it doesn’t take much to see that and I know when powerful handsome white men like you look at me, I know you see some kind of dumb-dark-skinned mammy for you to fuck over. The point is I can handle whatever your sister throws at me, but I thought you would know that by my credentials, but instead it seems as if you were too busy looking down my dress this whole time. The point is everyone North and Southside Chicago knows who your father is, and we know what trouble he and his associates are in. With all due respect Mr. Braithwhite, I’m not going to beg you for this job, and frankly I never even heard of your sister until the day I applied. You ask if I can keep up, but personally I’m asking myself if you can do the same, and apparently you can’t as you kept me waiting for two hours. I wanted to give this a fair shot, but I can’t help but question you and your sister about your effort to commit to professionalism Mr. Braithwhite.”

A silence came to the room choking the air as Ruby was in a state of panic. _Well you blew the only good job Northside of Chicago._

Leaning back to take his position upright, the smirk never dropped from his face as he spoke, “Well your commentary is something to be desired Ms. Baptiste and it is welcomed. How does a salary position sound to you?”

As if all the air had been pulled from her shock enlisted itself on her face making it hard for her to speak, “W-Wait what?”

“I’m offering you a job Ms. Baptiste.”

“I know that, but I thought the position was hourly,” Ruby sounded out as if testing her own voice.

“Why limit yourself, to me I think you burn more brightly than you know Ms. Baptiste.” A small tinge of redness came to Ruby’s skin. “I thought after… w-what about your sister?”

William continued getting up to pour himself a drink offering Ruby one as she respectfully declined, “I don’t think my sister or anyone will have any issue with your position; that is if you choose to take it that is.”

“That depends. Are you going to eye-fuck me again,” Ruby struck back not entirely comfortable with the idea.

“That depends. Are you going to eye-fuck my cock again Ms. Baptiste?” Embarrassment pooled into Ruby as she’d been caught, William for the second time taking her momentum from her as he continued, “My apologies Ms. Baptiste. Sometimes…I can get a bit beyond myself, but I can assure you that no such form of harassment will come from me once you sign-on with us. Yet I have to say, it has been the first time in a while that I felt magic where I thought there was none.”

“Well I’m not pulling any rabbits out of my hat anytime soon, and as long as you can keep it respectful then I’ll take the position.”

His smile grew wider as it almost looked foreign to his face. “You have no need to worry Ms. Baptiste, that I can assure you. However, if you will excuse me, I have some other matters to attend to.”

Taking the coat from behind his chair he swallowed the alcohol down with a gulp, as he buzzed the intercom his voice smooth like honey, “Ms. Davenport. Will you please see to it that Ms. Baptiste fills out her paperwork with HR.” Walking to the door and opening it the smell of his spiced cologne filled Ruby’s nostrils as she followed him out; as he made a turn within the doorway Ruby could tell the closeness of her presence aroused him. “Welcome to Clarissa and Cunnington Ms. Baptiste. My sister and I look forward to working with you.”

“Thank you, Mr. Braithwhite.”

“Call me William.” Holding out his hand Ruby looked up with doe-eyes taking his hand, the shake was brief as she felt the warmth of two pulses within the calloused hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well I am done and that was Willtina and Ruby’s’ first meet up. I wanted to do something different with the transformation process. I mean of course it was easy in the show, but I wanted it to be something more, so I made things difficult on the magic front. Let us see what happens next chapter at the Saturday celebration, I’m sure my tall skinny papa is going to be doing something.


	3. Care to recant that last statement?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Well since everyone was asking about this Fic, I figured I would post. Personally, from a certain standpoint I’m not happy with this Fic as its more along the lines of 60% when it comes to my writing technique. Whereas my other Fic Wounds We Mend is more along the lines of 80% when it comes to care and style. I wanted this one to be lighter and I am thinking it will be in a sense lighter and shorter in content as I’m not writing twenty-nine-pages each chapter. Just as well it’s a more current and updated Fic as far as time is considered. Still sorry it took so long I was dealing with a death of a family member and drama; I’ll be around to update more. So, enjoy.

“You did it!” Running over in the highest of heels with open arms Ruby leaned into her younger sister. The day had been a cool but warm enough with the last lingering specks of summer before the first snow fall. With a pan full of mac and cheese Ruby pulled back from her sister as couldn’t help but remind her of what she was carrying, “Ok save the hugs until I get in the kitchen. We don’t need this Mac n’ Cheese spilling all over the place.”

“Ruby you didn’t have to cook anything; today is your day,” Leti slipped out.

“Now you know it’s not going to be if Tic and his family are here,” Ruby said as she walked in. The scent of cooked meat on the grill came to her senses; and as the block at been hot once the seasons came in, as the gathering nights were getting cooler. Realistically it had been the last week to spend time with family before bundling up for winter; and it was something Ruby and her broken water-heater in her apartment were dreading. With Tic and Leti buying a house on the Northside, a part of Ruby wanted to know where her sister and brother-in-law got their money from. And while Tic and her sister were no stranger to the military life while moving from place to place; they settled to find their roots back home in Chicago as Tic waited for his discharge papers to come. A gathering in Ruby’s throat gave a bitter taste as she looked at the old-refurbished home; and while Ruby wired money to both Leti and Tic on more than one occasion, Ruby wondered where the money had come from to buy the house. And as the two hadn’t been frugal even before they had their son George; it still didn’t stop the anger that boiled in her stomach as not one of them bothered to invite her to stay. Selfish had always been Leti’s game even under her slight fame as a photographer; and as she forgot what mattered most, she knew Tic hadn’t as he moved nearly all his family to stay making their place officially full.

“I haven’t been in here for a while; you re-modeled,” Ruby asked looking around the new floorboards, tiles, sinks, lights, and walls.

“Only a little. I took on a few jobs to get the scratch we needed and Dora and Hatte pitched in a bit. But it was Tic’s cousin Christina that gave the most.”

Annoyed as she walked to the kitchen the musician finally spoke up slightly heated, “So, I guess that money I’ve been sending wasn’t doing enough.”

Leti sighed as her shoulders sagged knowing that the conversation was going to turn up. “Ruby you said that was a gift.”

“The **first** was a gift for your wedding; now I’m not going to go too much into it because I know your tight with George and all, but I’m just stating the facts. Since Tic’s cousin is handing out money, maybe you can tell her to spot you next time. Then again, it feels like I’ve heard enough of that name.”

“Ruby can we not do this. Look, I’ll get you the money for everything; Tic’s got a new job coming and I do to. And as for Christina you should know her, she does love your Mac n’ Cheese,” Leti spoke out suggestively. Walking through to the kitchen she spotted Sammy, Dora, Hatte, and Hippolyta. As Ruby heard Dee and George playing in the back as Tic, Uncle George, and Montrose were out back arguing; she set her plate down as Dora had been the first to come up and hug her.

“Congratulations sweetie.”

“Thank you,” Ruby spoke back evenly as Hatte was preparing the potato salad. She gave a faint smile as Ruby opened her mouth to speak, “Hey Ms. Hatte.”

“I dreamt about good winds at my door; and I guess the lord done blew you in Ruby child. Congratulations baby.” Ruby leaned down for a hug as the woman gave a slight squeeze. Watching the older woman’s eyes look to her granddaughter in-law she spoke out, “Dora, is Christina coming by? We already have the Neck Bones and Mac n’ Cheese

“She text Tic a couple minutes ago; and she said she’s on her way from the office,” Dora evenly explained focusing on her task. While Ruby washed her hands as Sammy offered her a glass of wine, she gladly took to it.

“Lordy with the way that child drives I believe she’ll be blowing by here any second. I remember when that child took me to an appointment, I done nearly had a heart attack,” Hatte spoke out. “I told you not to drive with her grandma Hatte; the only one Christina drives safely for is George, and we all know she spoils the hell out of him and Dee,” Letti spoke out washing the Collard-Greens in the sink.

“Well, whatever the case Ruby and Christina should meet; I know they would get along fine. They are both career women and maybe they could bring along some husbands.” Ruby and Sammy looked to each other knowingly, as the musician ridiculously smirked into the rim of her wine-glass as the older woman continued, “Lord knows this place could use more great-grand-babies; maybe some magic would spark,” Hatte spoke out before getting up with cane in hand.

“Where are you going Grandma Hatte,” Dora asked out.

“I’m gonna go take me a nap. Wake me up as soon as Christina gets here, me and her have a lot to jaw-on about.” Sliding out before Ruby could look, the older woman was off around the corner. “I’m going to go see to her,” Dora explained washing her hands before exiting the room.

Ruby sipped down the last of her wine, and as running footsteps came from the backyard; she heard Dees voice come out along with the patters of smaller steps. “I think that’s your cue Auntie,” Sammy said with a small-catty-smile as he stirred more. Running in bright brown-eyes shot up as five-year-old hands ran with open arms. Ruby set her glass down scooping the boy up; he had been a small clone of Tic yet less annoying as she saw her sister’s features. A snaggletooth smile came to his small cheeky face as his high-pitched voice came out.

“Aunty Roo!” A large smile spread on her face as he had been the only reason why her bitterness was sweetened, noticing Leti’s nose on the small boy she gave it a nuzzle. “How’s the little man doing today?”

“I’m not little Aunty Roo.”

“Of course you aren’t baby.” With Dee coming in her eyes had been completely glued to the phone as the others played outside. “Hey Dee. You ready for me to beat you at cards,” Ruby spilled out as she found common-ground with the teenager. It had been nearly fifteen years ago since she had been the girl’s babysitter, and it was hard to believe how much time went by.

“You wish. I’m going to smoke you and Leti. But it might have to wait, I’m not done reading this Thermodynamics Article Christina sent me for my school project.” A nerve struck once again at the name as Ruby set her gaze to the little one in her arms, “What is Christina going to do for you little man?”

“Magic!”

“I have some magic for you, what has five hands and likes to tickle toothless boys?”

“Oh no!” Setting the little toddler down, Ruby went over to the large spacious living room as the little boy led the chase outside to the backyard. From the wide and open Bay-Windows she noticed from the corner of her eye a tall-skinny-woman standing outside. With hands in her pockets, she stared in the window longingly as Ruby felt a pull with her blazing blue eyes. Her slender clothes fit her perfectly as her fashion-style had been something out of a Yacht-Club Magazine. She wore a black short-sleeved women’s polo, Khaki cream-colored pants along with white tennis-shoes. In the open collar of her shirt, she wore a black and cream ascot that had been tied and tucked together with a platinum women’s Rolex. The woman’s heart-shaped face fit her blonde-hair that had tumbled perfectly around her; and for a moment, piercing blue eyes looked at the house with a nervous distant stare before looking down at her phone. Feeling Ruby’s gaze, the queer woman’s eyes stared up again as they locked on to each other. Like magnets their stare molded and melted as a small flutter of attraction within Ruby’s chest blossomed from the ash; but the moment had been stomped out as Leti’s voice caught up behind her from the kitchen.

“I told you George no running in the hou-” With her voice dying, and as Ruby broke her little sister out of her trance Ruby felt curious to ask, “Leti who is that white woman out there.”

“We gotta go get grandma Hatte. Sammy can you get Dora and Hatte for me?” Watching the nervousness gather on Leti’s face as Sammy passed them both; Ruby stared searching for an answer, yet before Leti could respond George’s little feet could be heard trailing in. “Aunty Roo come play with us!”

“I’m coming baby!” Leaving Leti on her own Ruby gave one last look to the tall skinny stranger that lingered outside the house. _I have a bad feeling about this._

***

Christina had looked nervously at the house as if there had been a ghost behind its walls; yet she knew it had been a paralyzing fear that sat within her, as this had been her first event since her brothers passing two-years-ago. Staring back to the store-bought cake within the passenger’s seat, something chastised her to bring something else. _Maybe I should have brought money._ Lost with how to act without William; he had been a buffer for her nervousness whenever they visited, but a part of her smiled as she heard little George in the backyard. Yet what troubled her most had been the face of her P.A. who seemed to generously stare her down. A part of Christina felt small under her gaze as she wanted to go around to the backyard where Tic had been; but the blonde wasn’t so rude as to not greet her elders. While Christina had made sure to keep calm as the thicker woman stared at her curiously; on the inside, the Defense Attorney had been screaming into the void. _Well, this is going to be interesting. I really hope Atticus has an explanation for this!_ Catching eyes on her, the tall blonde-witch almost swallowed her tongue at the look of the smooth-skinned-woman; suddenly her own loins arched like it did that day when she interviewed her new P.A.

Christina had not been much for the act of masturbation; yet after her meeting with Ruby a simmering heat started to build within her. So much so her shower was starting to look like the inside of a snow-globe. Thanking her lucky stars that the potion had worn off within the morning; she was starting to hate how she was reacting whenever she wore Williams body. While her thoughts, words, and desires had been her own; still it felt as if a different taboo nature had occurred whenever she wore her brothers’ skin and lusted after a woman. And while Christina found herself easy to conceal her attraction as a woman, it had been a luxury she did not want to share with prying eyes.

A rapid wind gushed as she waited outside for the Freeman Matriarch; it had been a custom started by her brother when he was alive, yet it had been an older tradition started by those practitioners of magic long ago. Christina observed the house and its repairs, and from the look of the place it looked like any other house on the Northside, but Christina had known better. The old-boarding house had been protected; and while Hatte marked the doorways herself, a part of the blonde admired her craft as she could never achieve such a dedicated spell herself. And while Christina had been allowed in, she advised Hatte to bar her as well. Still a part of Christina feared that her father would track her; it had been a gamble she could take herself, but not for the rest of the only family she had left.

Hearing her phone ring she slipped it from the back of her pocket, and as she saw an unfamiliar number on her phone she answered.

“Hello.”

“Seems to me that your father’s intel about you not picking up the phone was wrong,” the rough voice of Lancaster came out.

“What do you want?”

“Oh, nothing. Well almost nothing, you see I was just by your office and I noticed you weren’t there.”

Gripping her phone tightly Christina managed to coldly call out, “Just why are you calling?”

“Oh no reason. I was just wondering how your spell is coming along; not that it is any of your business, it seems like your father is pleased to know that I’ve found the first girl. I tracked down the little bitch, and it turns out that she lives in some dump on the Southside. No wonder why she lied on the Order,” the Irishmen mocked.

“It was agreed that I have a month it hasn’t even been a week.”

She heard a sour deep chuckle that made her want to gag. “You know that’s the problem with you women. All of you are too fucking weak to do what needs to be done.”

“I’m sorry? Did I miss your invitation into the Order,” Christina spoke out her voice sardonic. “No but I sure didn’t catch yours. I won’t let you take over this Lodge cunt, not when I’ve worked too hard to get what’s mine!”

“That’s funny. Seriously were you born dumb first or did the stupid come later, or was it just something that snapped all at the same time? Your just as misguided as the others Captain. All of you in the Order think that something is yours based-on right, but all of you are too lazy and undisciplined to see magic at its fullest range. That **seat** you claimed you climbed to belonged to my brother William. You stole your way in beside my father, because my brother put you in your place Captain Lancaster. By the way, how’s the hand,” Christina slipped out as she knew the ugly curse her brother placed on Lancaster. It had been a simple curse as William had not just broken every bone in the former Police Captains hand; but unleashed his wrath within the form of pain.

“Let me tell you something you little bitch! I can end this game your father has set out for you anytime I want! I know where all the women are located; and I have his ear more than what you know, don’t test me cunt.”

“How about you don’t test me pig. You know…I’ve never been fond of Cops Ex or otherwise; and I know so many spells that can scramble what little is left of that brain of yours, and I don’t even need to be within range of you.” Christina’s voice had been cold and firm as the grip on her phone tightened; with her lips lingering out to speak the Language of Adam, the white witch felt his fear over the other line.

“I’ll be watching you! Stay the fuck out of my way!”

With the phone quickly hanging up before another word had been muttered, the flaxen-haired woman slid the phone close. A lopsided smirk came to her features as it had been a small victory to a greater war. Christina’s eyes looked up to see Hatte as she spoke out into the crisp air; she hadn’t known the words, but she knew the older Freeman was letting her in. Walking through the gate Hatte was the first to greet her as she pulled her in for a hug as she awkwardly returned it. No matter how many times Christina came around the older woman’s warmth shocked her; caring wasn’t the Braithwhite way.

“It so good to see you again baby, you don’t fly in not nearly enough.”

“My work takes me away a lot; and when I’m here more cases come up.”

“Still, your family and family always stick together,” Hatte fussed.

“Yes ma’am,” Christina formally spoke out as Leti stood in the doorway with George in hand. A lively smirk came to her face as the small boy scrambled out of his mother’s arms.

“Tina!” Bending down to scoop George he chuckled as she held him with her bear hug, a cool yet rare widened smile came to her face. “Wow you’re getting to be a big guy, pretty soon you’ll be as tall as a tree.”

“Your funny cousin Tina. I’m not a tree,” little George said with a giggle.

“Your right. That is why trees don’t play with action-figures do they.” Slipping the toy from behind her back the child’s face looked up bright with wonder. It had been the only joy she didn’t want to see fade; so much of it reminded her of Tic when they were younger, and most of it reminded her of William. Just as the mist dared to collect in her eyes, she looked up to see her newly appointed P.A. and Tic within the doorway. _Here we go._ Between the two Christina had stared, as she hoped that the thicker woman had not really seen her. Watching Tic come over he gave her a half-hug nearly surprising her again; he knew she wasn’t the most affectionate, but in his own frustrating way she knew he did it to annoy her. Staring at a puzzled Ruby who stood in the doorway as everyone walked inside; Christina wondered just what she knew. As Atticus took George into his own awaiting arms, the Braithwhite knew that she had no buffer to protect her from Tic’s introduction.

“Aye Ruby, I want you to meet my cousin Christina Braithwhite you know the one that liked your Mac n’ Cheese.” Watching the woman as she looked wonderful in her short-shorts despite the on-coming change of seasons. Hungrily Christina stared as her blue-eyes couldn’t help but look at her thick long legs; wanting to drag her own tongue a cross the heated flesh, her eyes settled on the bountiful breast that sat on her. The sensation of lust had been a foreign feeling to Christina Braithwhite within the last two years, yet before the witch could imagine anything more her arousal melted like dew within the afternoon sun. Staring into angry brown-eyes the musician crossed her arms defensively; and Christina couldn’t help herself as the action made the Personal Assistant’s breast bunch up together like two freshly mounds of mountains. Saving the sight for later, she somehow noticed the shock of the dark-skinned woman but only ever so slightly. The stare of her made Christina nervous yet bold and confident, and it was a feeling not even she could juggle.

“We’ve met or more like we were supposed to meet,” Ruby called out with a disapproving stare as she looked down at her from the top of the porch stairs. _Ok_ _time to make your big introduction._

“I ran into some trouble at Court and my brother had to take over; if it caused you any inconvenience, I’m sorry,” Christina spoke out. As Tic looked between the two nervously the blonde knew they were going to talk soon.

“Mm Hmm. Well make sure your brother keeps his own inconveniences to himself,” Ruby commanded.

“William does like a demanding woman,” Christina roused out her eyes raking up and down the musician’s body. Noticing the frustration on Ruby’s face, her eyes had shown its anger in full force as something about it made Christina’s blood boil hotter. It had been something about Ruby Baptiste’s stare that gave her life in ways she would never know. _Interesting, let’s see how this goes._ The moment had been snatched away as Leti came out to the porch; and as Ruby broke her gaze from her to meet her sisters, Tic and little George looked on confused at the interaction.

“Letitia can I see you in the kitchen for a moment; we gotta make sure Sammy don’t burn the neckbones,” Ruby tossed out. Confused at what was going on she wanted to ask, but she held still and quiet as she watched the backside of the woman glide inside. With Tic patting her arm to motion her to the backyard he spoke out, “Come on, let’s get a beer.”

“I have a question.” Not caring who heard as the ex-soldier nodded while they walked to the side where the backyard had been. Christina’s mind had been fully intrigued as she gave an interested smile as she asked, “Are these neck bones, are they human neck bones?”

***

On his fourth glass of wine, Sammy’s eyes stayed glued to his magazine as the pot of food simmered. Not looking up as the two sisters of Eloise Baptiste entered; on cue he handed Ruby another glass of wine. Panic enlisted itself on Ruby as she drank; and as she went to the sink, she stared out the kitchen window to the backyard. Spotting the white woman outside as she supervised the game the younger kids were playing before joining in; Ruby quickly turned away. _Fuck!_

“Ok you got me here, now are you going to tell me what’s going on,” Leti asked finally inside.

“What the fuck was that,” Ruby asked her frustration at its peak.

Confused, Leti had answered out not knowing where her sisters anger came from, “What do you mean?”

“Don’t act dumb. This has got to be some joke or elaborate scam or something,” Ruby desperately gasped out. “What? You mean Christina,” Leti confessed as if it were no big deal; yet her eyes were more confused than anything.

“Yes, I fucking mean Christina!”

“What do you mean? She’s family I told you the other day she was coming.”

“She’s my **_fucking_** boss Leti and seeing as no one bothered to tell me she was Tic’s damned cousin it makes this situation even more fucked up! Which by the way how is that even possible she isn’t even a quarter black,” Ruby expressed clearly disturbed at the thought.

“Ruby you fussin’ over a whole lot of nothing like momma used to. Christina is good people and George and Dee love her. It anit my fault you didn’t know who she was, anyways count yourself lucky you’re working for her; at least you know you have family looking out for you.” Rolling her eyes, she hated this game, as it had been a contrast and comparison to their mother. Optimism had always been one of Leti’s greatest strengths; but it had been one of the major bad-habits she had acquired from their late mother when it came to seeing the bigger picture.

“Yeah, but who invited her to the cookout?”

Setting a towel over her shoulder Leti tended to the stove as she spoke up, “I don’t know how this is a shock to you, I thought you two met at the wedding.”

“No the hell I didn’t and even if I did; I thought she was the wedding planner or something,” Ruby insisted faintly remembering the blonde. “Well, that’s Tic’s cousin by blood and her brother paid for our Honeymoon. Besides Ruby don’t sit here and act like we didn’t know what happened four great-grandfathers ago.”

“Seems like someone’s hands was reaching in the cookie jar,” Sammy added making Ruby roll her eyes as he sipped on his chilled wine.

“You two **do** know who the fuck her father is; that and the fact that I’m now stuck working for her,” Ruby panicked pacing while holding a hand to her head and hip.

“I thought you knew that when you went on your interview. Ruby I know this comes as a shock to you, but she’s not her father that’s for damn sure. Christina’s awkward around people.”

“What does that have to do with me,” Ruby fronted.

“I’m just saying maybe it would be good for today to cut her some slack; that poor girl has been through enough. First her mother, then her older brother Caleb; what I’m saying is it’s your day Ruby…but just don’t make this a thing,” Leti spoke out adding water to the boiling meat.

“How can I not make this a thing? You know what goes down as soon as more people show up.”

“So what? Christina has been around Black Folks before. Ruby just because you work for her it doesn’t mean anything, she’s family.”

“You mean she’s **_your_** family.”

“Your family too, don’t sit up here and act like we didn’t grow up around Hippolyta and Uncle George. Just as well you have been saying for years now that you want to get out of the Southside, and you told me yourself that this job is going to make it happen. I don’t get why you wanna hit it so hard, you know you have a perfectly good place her with u-”

“I told you I’m not staying here, there’s enough going on here between the tenants, George and Tic’s family. Not to mention the fact that I practically raised you, no I’ll be just fine thank you very much.”

Feeling a presence watching them it was Sammy who spoke up not looking from his magazine. “Looks like our guest of honor is here.” With Christina in the doorway, she stared nervously between the two sisters. With Leti looking warmly at the woman the blonde spoke up, “Atticus wanted to see if there were any more beers.”

“If you’re looking for that its at the store, them boys just about drunk up everything,” Leti spoke out slipping the cornbread from the oven. Christina turned on the swagger as she leaned against the door frame, “It’s not a problem, I’ll just head to the store.”

“That’s good because I need Ruby to go get some more wine and a chicken,” Leti pushed. Ruby stared at her with a ridiculous look plastered on her face, “I thought you had a chicken done already, don’t tell me were going to be eating late.”

“You know Montrose and his friends don’t eat no pork,” Sammy tossed out with a dismissive wave as he got up to strut around the kitchen.

“There’s more people coming?” With Christina’s voice slightly bewildered, Ruby could sense the nervousness making her feel slightly guilty for the rude introduction.

Leti tossed out a hand to the white woman, “You know it’s not a cookout without my sisters voice. Half of Southside is coming to celebrate Ruby here; even though I’m a bit mad that I didn’t get to see Delilah in action, lucky for us Slick Willie and his guitar is coming through for my sister tonight.”

“You sing,” Christina spoke out in a cool shock. 

“What you didn’t see that on my resume,” Ruby snapped defiantly earning a small arrogant look from Christina. _Playing hardball, I see your challenge Ms. Baptiste and I accept._

“No, I didn’t see it because I had a case to work. I’m sorry if me not taking an interest in your hobbies offends you your majesty,” the blonde hotly shot back her annoyance covered in sarcasm.

“Well neither did your brother; he was too busy having other things catch his attention.”

“You mentioned that already,” Christina added. “Is you being here tonight going to ruin everything for me or do have to look for another job,” Ruby spoke out evenly annoyed.

“Ruby,” Leti shouted.

“I don’t see why you should look for anything else Ms. Baptiste. You did just sign a five-year contract with me.” _That will shut her up. “_ Girl she got you good,” Sammy added his lips smirking into his wine-glass.

“Five years!” _And punchline._

“Yes, didn’t you read it,” Christina arrogantly responded much to Ruby’s angered-arousal as her blue-eyes burned hotly into her.

“I thought…”

“Unlike my brother I do think, and your resume was impressive scholastically, so forgive me if I didn’t look at your hobbies,” Christina lightly snapped adding lemon-juice to the wound. Ruby rubbed her tongue along her teeth as she felt frustration roll from her, as she walked past her sister, clearly ignoring the blonde.

“So, it was beer right,” Ruby asked passing the hungry frustrated eyes of Christina. “You know they'll drink anything,” Leti spoke out as Ruby grabbed a small flask that Sammy handed her with a wink.

“Come on white girl. I’m sure you have some limo lined up outside to get us there,” Ruby walked strutting the only pride she could salvage within her hips, it had been a thing Christina had been gracious to observe.

“No not at the moment, but I can call one,” Christina shot back her eyes pouring into Ruby’s backside. The thought of it made Ruby stand on uneven ground as she felt hungry eyes on her. The musician knew she had been prey to an awaiting tiger even as she led the way out the door.

“We’re taking my car you’re driving, and I’m drinking,” Ruby tossed out with a bit more sass than she was accustomed too.

***

Zooming through traffic Ruby thanked god she wore a seatbelt. As Christina slipped in and out of each lane; Ruby held on as she didn’t show her fear as something about the white woman’s driving told her she was out to scare her. Coming to a red light they neared the liquor store as Christina had been the first to speak, “I don’t see why we couldn’t have taken my car. This one is slow.”

Pulling her body back at the bluntness of the blonde, it had been a welcomed yet abrupt pace, “Well the car maybe slow, but the car-note and insurance on it comes up fast. So, you break it you pay for it speed demon. Not all of us have rich daddies.”

“You need a daddy with the way you’ve been talking to me,” Christina muttered under her breath snidely.

“What was that white girl?”

“N-Nothing…So…whose Delilah,” Christina spoke out as the strange feeling of another woman would throw the whole conversation away. A slick smile gathered on Ruby’s face as she placed her leg up against the dash of the car; Christina’s eyes traveled down to the center of her red-short-shorts and for a moment she forgot her anger. 

“Me and Delilah. Well, we had a sweet thing for a while. She would play me more than I would play her, we had a dangerous game going on when we went on stage,” Ruby spoke out sipping from the flask.

“So, she was a friend?”

“You really don’t know anything about Black Folks, do you? Delilah is my guitar.”

“Oh. Well in my defense not a lot of culture was broadcasted growing up, and that was if my father ever paid attention to me at all. My father for all intents and purposes, was and still is deplorable when it comes to race-relations and gender-relations in this country. That is why when my older-brother found out about our other side of the family, he was determined to connect and lucky for my him he fit right in.”

“Just like he tried to fit right into my draws,” Ruby taunted.

“He said sorry for that,” Christina patiently yet firmly explained.

“Well so long as he isn’t in my mouth and under my skirt all day, I think we should be fine. And as for your upbringing I guess…I can’t blame you too much; you maybe my boss, but no one deserves an asshole for a father.”

Looking ahead as the light turned green, Christina eased off the pedal as she kept the speed limit her eyes never looking away from the road. “Thank you.”

***

The night came by fast as the yard and the Freeman house filled with people. The music sung out from the walls of the house as even the pavement hummed a tune. The soothing upbeat songs of the Rhythm and Blues from 1950s filled the air; all of it made Christina’s foot tap to the tempo as she looked at the band up on stage. She hadn’t dared to dance, but a part of her bones cavorted when guests went to check on her. As Leti surfed by refilling cups of alcohol, no mouth within the Freeman house went dry. The living room had been full as a small stage had been propped up; and with all the food eaten and plated to go Christina had been lucky enough to get the first taste of everything, yet she wanted a taste of something more. Hearing the Blues-singer they called Slick Willie go off stage; Christina watched Ruby exit herself from the spades table. And while she took the guitar from the elderly man’s hands; Christina looked up to the dark-skinned-woman, she had been striking as all of it made the lips of her sex twitch.

There in a sparkling reddish and purple gown she floated on stage as if carried by the wind; and as a violet flower graced her hair, her lips were a deep flush of red that looked like plump cherries. Licking her lips, the witches mouth trembled and watered. With guitar in hand, Ruby gave a few tunes finding the right chords. As Christina glanced to her own hands, she wondered what notes she could pluck when it came to the woman on stage. For as long as she could remember she had been a virgin, too awkward or cold to attract anyone as herself; yet when she wore the skin of William her sex-appeal had been alive, but nothing within her encounters matched her desires. As she had been on her third glass of Hennessey and Coke the taste of it hadn’t been so bad to her; yet she was lucky for any drink that relaxed her nerves. Leaning on the wall not far from the make-shift stage; the place had been packed, and yet she still had the best seat in the house due to her height.

Perking up at the woman as she adjusted the mic, her smooth hazy voice flooded into the blonde. “You’re going to have to bear with me for a minute now, I haven’t sung in a minute. Let us just see if Ole’Lucy from Slick Willie here can take me through the night.” Giving an A7 Open and then a G7 before rolling back a smooth simple scale, the strum of sound sung to the soul of the room.

“Looks like Lucy is on fire tonight!”

The audience cheered and hollered as it had been enough to shake the ground under her. Christina felt a small hiccup within her chest, as the two briefly locked eyes; a painted smile lingered on Ruby’s face as the audience called for their own music. “Before we get to the requests, I’m going to play a little something special for a special kinda person.” Turning back to the band, Ruby whispered something before she gave her count.

“1,2,3!”

_I want a tall skinny papa_ _  
Yeah!  
I want a tall skinny papa  
Yeah!  
I want a tall skinny papa  
Yeah!  
I want a tall skinny papa  
Yeah!  
  
_

Enjoying the voice that rang its strong and sweet tune in her ear, it had been like a time capsule of a darker yet bright moment. The budding in the blondes’ heart had fluttered away like the wind; and while she had been no dancer, she awkwardly felt clumsy in her own skin. Christina Braithwhite had been tall all her life, and while she felt like an odd gangly thing a piece of the song didn’t make her feel that way. A part of her knew even as Ruby sung that she dedicated that song to her, yet she couldn’t find the meaning in it; but it made her vastly attracted to the musician. And while the final note of song rang out; and as her cold blue-eyes settled on the singer for a moment, both pairs of eyes met like the world had no meaning or matter.

“Enjoying the party,” Atticus slipped out breaking her trance.

“Me enjoying a party? How vague,” Christina smirked her cat-like-eyes surveying the crowd as they gave their list of songs. It had always been a game they played as children every Summer she would visit; Atticus would pull the answers out of her while she pushed him away. It had been a habit so engrained in her that Christina pushed back against her father without a moment’s notice the older she got. Yet for her and Atticus it had always been their thing, as they enjoyed calling each other out for the mess of a life they had; it was a system of chaos both secretly enjoyed. And although Montrose had come out to Dora after years of marriage, it made things awkward but not breakable as they confided in each other. The Freeman family where stronger than any spell she could ever cast; and while Christina Braithwhite felt breakable in their presence in some small way, she felt jealousy within her.

“You know you’re not a good liar Christina.”

“And you know you’re starting to sound like my father. No offense Atticus, but I don’t want to lose anymore alcohol than I’ve already consumed.”

“You know I’m just worried about you being in that house all by yourself; especially with that Metamorphosis Spell acting up the way it is,” Atticus commented out.

“I should’ve never had told you that. Look, generating the rebirth of my brother isn’t an easy thing to do, and as for the Metamorphosis Spell I just need some fine tweaking. After that I’ll have enough to put that dumb Irish-Bastard away for good. I know he had something to do with my brother’s death Atticus; and Lancaster is going to tell me everything, ” Christina spoke out her eyes looking to the shining spark of Black Excellence that performed on stage.

“That’s just the thing Chris, you have to know when to stop and focus on something else. Also too wearing his skin and generating your Intent is different from Alignment. If your off, then Williams blood will know.”

“What? So, you’re saying my brothers’ ghost is floating around somewhere? I didn’t think your that stupid to believe in ghost stories Tic; then again, this side of the family always had a better handle within the spiritual side of magic.”

“If William has unfinished business, then it’s a possibility something is bound to come up with your brother. Grandma Hatte knew something was missing the night he died; and you keeping his body down there isn’t right. He can’t be happy Christina no one can, I’m sure William would want you to be happy and the only way you can do that is by letting go.”

“Well, I’m here aren’t I? Right now, I could be using every moment to focus on my spell. Just as well my brother’s soul will rest once Lancaster is six-feet under,” Christina pushed out trying her best to sound calm.

“Don’t use us for your bullshit Chris you know you wanted to be here; and the reason why I know is because you know it’s wrong what your father is trying to do,” Atticus snapped lightly. Knowing every part of him had been right, once again she moved her pawn back on the mental chessboard of their conversation.

“Lancaster called me earlier today. He said he found one of the girls; I know he’s on the move to seal his place in with my father,” Christina confessed.

“Something isn’t right about this; your father still has enough money so he and his associates could just buy these women out. I have a feeling this is more than just a simple sexual harassment charge. Are you just going to let Lancaster go after them?”

“Well, it’s not like I have a map of where all of them live,” Christina responded holding back her care.

“You know what game Lancaster is playing at; you know he’s trying to get a rise out of you. To you he may be a dumb ape of a man; but still, he didn’t get to your father’s side on good faith alone. Lancaster is ex-military and an ex-cop; the man has a talent for violence. Not to mention Leti thinks he is connected to a string of missing persons cases around the Southside, but that was when he was Captain of the Chicago PD. Now as for your father.”

“What about him?”

“You know he’s losing money on trying to find the Book of Names; and he doesn’t know we got it. Why don’t you just seal him off? I know we can do it Grandma Hatte showed me.”

“It is not a simple task and you know it.”

“Concilium isn’t either. You’re going to have to stop bailing him out Christina. You know as well as I do that he doesn’t give a shit about you. You know something is wrong, does that little ring mean more to you than that?”

“Even if you could bind my father from all magic Atticus; you know it’s going to create a domino effect for the others to come after your family, and I don’t want that. Besides my father has Invulnerability and many have died trying to remove my father from his place,” Christina roused out lazily.

“You know those girls are in danger, and the best way to protect them is to get in contact with them.” Turning to him Christina smirked moving arrogantly into Atticus space, “When have you ever known me to do anything within the benefit of others.”

“Drop the act, you’re the best Defense Attorney in Chicago; I know you give a shit. Speaking of acts, I see you’ve been eyeing Ruby for a moment; wanna talk about that,” Tic slightly pointed as the dazzling woman had been in the middle of another Blues cover from the late great B.B. King.

“And why would I share anything with you?” 

“Because I’ve never seen that kind of look on your face; well at least not on your own, you should talk to her maybe you two will have something in common.”

“We’re family and she’s my Personal Assistant, I don’t think we have anything in common.”

“Not by blood. I mean sure she’s little Georges Aunt; but I think you two would hit it off together,” Atticus poked sipping his own drink.

“It’s not happening she works for me, and the last thing I refuse to be is my father; and she doesn’t exactly have a queer vibe about her. I already find it disturbing that I can get an erection around her when I’m wearing my own brothers’ body,” Christina slipped out regretfully as the drink hit her like a wave. Craning his neck to look at her with a crazed stare he gestured his confusion before he questioned his cousins’ comment, “Is this before or after you interviewed her?”

“See I knew telling you would be strange; this is just like when we were kids again. Look I couldn’t help it, she came in there and…”

“So, what you were attracted to a woman and you reacted. It happens to the best of us. Look even if it’s not an exact attraction, Ruby is good people Leti and I owe her a lot. She doesn’t want us to know, but we know she’s struggling back at her apartment. Leti worries about her, and we’ve asked her to stay here rent free, but she doesn’t want to.”

“I think Leti would have an issue with you telling me all of this,” Christina pushed out wanting to ignore her own need to do something. “She doesn’t mind so long as I’m the only one blowing her back out. Which I suggest you should get on the good foot and lay down some pipe or whatever it is you want to do.” Staring back to the singer, Christina had noticed that the sisters had gotten up on stage singing their own duet as the crowd flooded to the dance floor. From the corner of her eye, she spotted more people coming in; and as the thicker sound of the musician’s voice came into the duet, it seemed like the whole Southside of Chicago had gathered to see the magic of Ruby Baptiste.

***

“You know…you didn’t have to drive me home,” Ruby commented as the wheels of the Braithwhite’s Bentley rolled carefully down the street.

“It’s no big deal,” Christina spoke out. The night had ended as it had been nearly four in the morning; and while the better part of the evening had been full of dancing and drinking. The few close friends and family that had stayed took refuge on the floor, and as all of them had been too drunk to drive home the Freeman house welcomed the company. With others driving home everyone had left with a hefty share on their plate including herself; and as it seemed as if the food magically kept on coming from the kitchen everyone enjoyed the feast. Noticing the smell of Rum and Coke coming from her, Ruby’s mind had been full of the night as her vocal-cords felt as if they were about to burst.

“Are you even sober enough to drive,” Ruby asked wondering just where the white woman next to her found her sobriety. “I’ve been drinking for as long as I could remember, it’s an added bonus if you grew up the way I did.” 

“You mean rich, white, and selfish? You know I could’ve caught a ride; besides, I know how squeamish you white girls get when it comes to the Southside,” Ruby poked.

“What do you mean a white girl like me?”

“Like I told your brother you think the world balances itself on your fingertips, and you think the morning and night waits on your command. I don’t know if you hired me because of White Guilt or White Pride and still for the love of me I can’t think of why you would hire me; not when your away from black problems, poor problems, and every other thing you don’t have to face. Not to mention there are millions of skinny-white-girls with rich daddies that are more qualified, so why share this opportunity with me.”

“Why not you.” Staring back at the tall thin woman as they paused at the red light as the loud blaring firetruck passed by, the moment had been deaf to Ruby as the white woman looked straight ahead. There had been something queer about Christina Braithwhite and it made Ruby wonder; a part of her had been open while the brutal savagery of truth came from her lips, but there had been something cold and guarded as well. The essence of Christina had peaked an arousal in Ruby, but she shut down the feeling fast. Yet still in the glow of red Ruby looked more to her noticing the painful resemblance of family. From their blonde-hair, blue piercing eyes, long slender fingers, and tall stature of command, the Braithwhite’s themselves had been easy on the eyes when it came to court; but that was only when it came to the Braithwhite men as she never heard of Samuels daughter. And yet Ruby could tell from the conversation earlier that her own father had no sense enough to hear of his daughter as well.

“This is a long way from the office. Have you ever thought about moving up to the Northside, you could take up with Leti,” the Braithwhite heiress asked as strains of alcohol gave her courage to make some kind of form of small talk.

“Well, that’s the plan. As for moving in with Letitia those days are long gone, and they have grown just like Leti; back in the day with our momma both of us had to share a room, and even when we got older and I moved out Leti would come back to me after her latest fuck up. No. I’m done sharing my space and I’m done being interrupted,” Ruby spoke out as they turned on her block as she leaned back in the plush white leather seats of the Bentley.

“Still, this is a long way,” Christina commented. “What? Are you worried about me being on time,” Ruby commented.

“No…I’m just giving you another opportunity. You know I do have a place that isn’t too far from the office.”

“Are you trying to rent to me?” Feeling as if the blonde’s mind had been tinkering there had been a strange pull to the question when it spilled from her own lips; and it didn’t help that the bizarre draw of hooded blue eyes weaved itself under Ruby’s skin. The musician had felt drawn to confess the confusion of the moment as it seemed more flirtatious than angry.

The Defense Attorney evenly adjusted her voice, as she thought about her next pair of words. “It’s not so much as renting as it would require me to be there with you. Strategically the move would be suitable for matters that concern you as my P.A.”

“So, you’re saying I should live with you, as a mammy or maid,” Ruby drunkenly asked as her brown-earthen-eyes stared reproachful at the sky blue of Christina Braithwhite’s eyes.

“No, you would never be that; also, it’s not so much as living with me it’s you strategizing with me,” the blonde evenly stumbled. Ruby could tell that not even the white woman believed her own words that came from her mouth. _What is this white-girl up to? Time to put a stop to this mess._

“Even if my house were on fire; I would never stay with you. I knew something was fucked up with this job; I don’t care what I got to do to get out of that contract, don’t expect me on Monday.” Slowing down the smell of fire grew as the crowd of the neighborhood gathered to watch the apartment burn up in smoke. Opening the side door Ruby’s mouth hung open as grief and devastation washed over her. As disbelief and tears almost ruined her eyes, she watched her apartment go up in a blazing smoke. Ruby’s skin felt hot as the burning flames grew as Firefighters tried to contain what they could; and as her mouth fell open at the tangible moment of pain, she couldn’t stomach anything. The feeling of a foreign moment of kindness shrouded her shoulders making her turn her head to the tall blonde who had given her coat to her. Carefully Ruby watched as Christina thought, and as she stuffed her hands in her pockets; her eyes casually stared into the fire as she commented, “Care to recant that last statement.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I know that was dirty right? Lol Guess whose getting on the U-Haul next chapter? Send your Comments and Kudos it will be much appreciated. Again, sorry it took so long. I hope everyone is having a nice Holiday.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you guys think, this is my first time writing on here as I usually write on Fan Fiction. Net


End file.
